Mr. Morris to Mr. Seward.
Sir: Since my last despatch relative to the issuing of orders for the marching of the Turkish troops into the Danubian principalities, Prince Hohenzollern has arrived at Bucharest, and has been installed as prince or hospodar of the united provinces of Moldavia and Wallachia. Immediately on his arrival, he addressed a respectful message to the Sultan, recognizing his suzerain authority, and assuring him of his faithful allegiance as a vassal prince.
Soon after orders had been despatched for the occupation of the principalities by the Turkish troops, the Porte found itself obliged to countermand these orders, in consequence of intelligence respecting the arrival of Prince Hohenzollern, and it is now at a loss what course of action to adopt. It is apprehended that the entrance of the Turkish troops into the principalities under present circumstances would lead to resistance, and that out of such a conflict a war would ensue that might extend to Servia, Montenegro, Bosnia, and Albania As the people of Roumania seem determined on a continuance of the union of the provinces, and a foreign prince as ruler, notwithstanding the opposite views [Page 245] of the conference at Paris and of the Porte, nothing hut military intervention can put down such a purpose. The policy of resorting, however, as the question now stands, to extreme measures of this kind is a very questionable one, and it would seem as if the Porte would find itself obliged to yield to circumstances and to recognize the election of Prince Hohenzollern as a fait accompli, after the usual formalities of protestation and reservations to the protecting powers.
Russia has a strong interest against the union of the principalities and the election of a foreign prince, as both of these measures tend to the consolidation of the country and to its future independence. An independent state, such as Roumania, existing between her confines and those of the Porte, will baffle her designs on Constantinople, as it is across this territory lies the direct route to the Turkish capital. Russia will not willingly consent to the consummation of the recent proceedings in Roumania, interfering as they do with political projects of her own of the highest significance, and it is supposed she will urge the Porte to measures which may compromise the peace of all the northern frontier of the empire. Owing to a community of opinion on this particular question, a strong feeling of sympathy has of late grown up between Russia and Turkey, and strange as it may seem, the two governments have entered into close confidential relations. This fact has excited the suspicion of France and England, but their counsels seem to have less weight than those of the habitual enemy of Turkey. Altogether the question of the principalities is a very perplexing one for both the Porte and the protecting powers, and, unless treated with the wisest caution, may of itself become the source of another European war on the oriental question.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.